What is a protective stop?

What is a protective stop?

• A. Officers may detain a suspect's companion briefly under potentially dangerous circumstances.
• B. Officers may search a vehicle without probable cause.
• C. Officers may detain a suspect's companion briefly for questioning.
• D. Officers may seize property at a checkpoint.

Answer: (A)

Protective stop is a brief detention used to address safety concerns at a scene when there is a reasonable basis to believe someone may pose a danger or could assist a suspect. Detaining a suspect’s companion briefly under potentially dangerous circumstances fits this idea because the focus is on preventing harm and preserving safety, not on conducting a full investigation or making an arrest. The other options describe actions outside this safety-focused, temporary detention: searching a vehicle without probable cause goes beyond a protective stop and requires proper grounds; detaining a companion briefly for questioning shifts toward investigative detention rather than immediate safety; seizing property at a checkpoint involves immobilizing or taking controls of property, not stopping a person for safety.